Extension-level.



V. A. WILSON.

EXTENSION LEVEL.

APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 26, 1909 953,1 1 3.

Patented Mar. 29, 1910.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 29, 1910.

Application filed February 26, 1909. Serial No. 480,145.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VIRGIL A. Vmsow, a citizen of the United States, residing at East Point, in the county of Fulton, State of Georgia, have invented. certain new and useful Improvements in Extension-Levels; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

.This invention relates to levels employed by carpenters, builders, and other mechanics,

and has for one of its objects to provide a simply constructed device of this character l having extension attachments, whereby the length of the level may be increased when required.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide a device of this character having ex tension attachments foldable with the body of the level when not in use, and which do not interfere with the ordinary uses of the level.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in certain novel features of construction as hereafter shown and described and then specifically pointed out in the claims, and in the drawings illustrative of the preferred embodiment of the inven tion, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved device with the extension devices in open position. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the implement arranged as in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end elevation with one of the extension members in section on the line 38 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4: is a side elevation of the improved device with the extension members in folded position. Fig. 5 is a transverse section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

The improved device comprises a stock 10, preferably of the usual form and constructed of Wood and with a level bulb casing 11 embedded in the upper face thereof,.and with transverse bulbs 12-13 near the ends, the bulbs being arranged in the ordinary manner. The lower portion of the stock is reduced in width, and pivoted at 14 through the reduced portion at one side thereof is an extension bar 15, and pivoted at 16 at the opposite side of the reduced portion and at the opposite end of the stock is a similar extension bar 17. The extension bars are formed in L-shape transversely, and are foldable beneath the reduced portion of the stock with the inner edges of the bars in close proximity beneath the stock as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the free ends of the bars extending beyond the stock when in folded position. The vertical webs of the bars 17 are partly cut away near their free ends as shown respectively at 18-49, and at their free ends the vertical webs are cut away entirely leaving only portions of the horizontal webs extending beyond the vertical webs, as shown respectively at 2021..

Fitting through the extended portion 20 is a threaded bolt 22 having a head 23 at one end and with a cap nut or detachable head 24 upon the other end, the heads 23-24 projecting from opposite sides of the bar 15, as shown. Connected in the same manner to the free end 21031. the bar 17 is a threaded bolt having a head 25 and a cap nut 26. The outer faces of the nuts 2426 and the lower face of the reduced portion of the stock 10 are in longitudinal alinement, so that when the bars 15-17 areextended as shown in Fig. l the lower face of the stock and the lower faces of the. nuts 24.--26 will be located in the same longitudinal plane, and when located upon a structure will indicate whether or not the structure is level by the position of the bubble in the casing 11. The heads 2325 are so arranged that when the bars 1517 are in folded position as shown in Fig. 4, the heads will be so spaced relative to the stock that when located upon a structure they will denote whether or not the structure is level by the position of the bubble in the casing 11, as will be obvious. By this means the implement may be employed with equal facility whether the bars 15-17 are in folded or extended position, as will be obvious.

Bearing upon the opposite sides of the reduced portion of the stock 10 are two bars 27-28, the bar 27 reduced at one end as at 29 and fitting in a notch 30 in the bar 15, while the bar 28 is similarly reduced and fits .in a corresponding notch in the bar 17 when the bars are in distended position. The bars 27-28 are rigidly connected to the stock by a transverse bolt or other fastening device 33 which passes through both bars and the stock as shown, and the bars 2728 are further secured to the stock respectively by screws or other fastening devices 34-435. The bars 27-28 thus serve as springs to hold the bars 15-17 in both their extended or folded positions, as will be obvious. The

wider portions of the bars 2728 fit in the reduced portions 1819 of the bars 1517, this being the object of forming the reduced portions as illustrated in Fig. 4, to enable the horizontal webs of the bars 15l7 to engage beneath the stock with their confronting edges in contact, as illustrated in ig. 5. p

The stock 10 is preferably bound with plates 86 of the usual form, to protect the wood of the stock from abrasion. The stock may be of any suitable size or length, and of any suitable material, while the extension members may also be of any suitable size or length, and of any suitable material.

The improved implement is simple in construction, can be inexpensively manufactured, and will be found very useful and convenient for use wherever an ordinary level is required, while at the same time it may be employed in localities where an ordinary level is necessarily supplemented by an additional straight edge, when a greater area of surface is encountered.

, What is claimed, is

1. An instrument of the class described comprising a stock having a level and with oppositely arranged longitudinal recesses in one edge thereof, two bars pivoted to swing from said stock at its opposite ends and foldable within the recesses when in one position, and extendin in opposite directions from the stock and in longitudinal alinement therewith when in another position,

yieldable members connected to said stock within the recesses thereof and engaging the arms, and bearing heads carried by said bars and extending laterally therefrom at their free ends.

2. An instrument of the class described comprising a stock having a level, two bars pivoted to swing from opposite sides of said stock at its opposite ends and foldable upon the same when in one position and extending in opposite directions from the stock and in longitudinal alinement therewith when in another position, two yieldable members bearing upon said stock at opposite sides thereof and respectively engaging said bars, and a single fastenin device extending throu 'h said stock and both of said yieldable mem ers.

3. An instrument of the class described comprising a stock having a level, two bars pivoted to swing from said stock at its opposite ends and foldable upon the same when in one position, and extending in opposite directions from the stock and in longitudinal alinement therewith when in another position, said bars reduced at their free ends, and bearing studs extending from opposite sides of the reduced portions.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

VIRGIL A. WILSON. Witnesses M. Y. RoLINsEN, T. M. OLIVER. 

